York Outer - Joe Riches

York is an amazing place to live and work and I am proud to be the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for York Outer.

I believe York Outer needs an MP who will stand up for local people and I also believe that an MP should be rooted in the communities they represent, informed by life experience and not through who their parents were.

I work in Adult Social Care in services, supporting adults with a learning disability. I know how the services that people rely on to live an independent life are under increasing pressure as a result of the Conservative and LibDem government cuts.

As a City of York councillor I have campaigned successfully for more flood defences in my ward, taking the campaign to Downing Street, after the Tory government put the funding under threat.

I have seen first-hand the effects of cruel welfare changes, such as the bedroom tax, are hitting people in our city and its villages hard. I have spoken out about their impact on people in York. The only way to prevent this from continuing is to change the national government, which has motivated me to stand down from the council and stand for parliament.

I have enjoyed meeting residents in the campaign so far and look forward to talking to as many people as I can before the general election.